SKI

About the Book

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About the Author

Arnold Lee (Al) Sutton was born March 24, 1947 in St. Louis Missouri. His mother, Geneva ,was only 18 years old and was more like a sister than a mother, in fact, he never called her mom or mother, but Niva. AL's mother-figure was his Grandmother Bettie, he never knew his father. When Al was age 12, Niva moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles, California where her mother Bettie lived. From day one, AL's Grandmother took him from Niva to live with her, told him to call her mama and that was that. Al attended Los Angeles schools graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Feb 1966. A month before he graduated, Al and his best friend Ralph Ramsey joined the U.S. Marines Corps and both found themselves in Vietnam. Ralph went first and was already wounded by the time Al got to Vietnam in Dec 1966. Al served two 13 month tours of duty in Vietnam as a UH-1E Helicopter Gunship Crew chief where he earned 19 combat air metals, combat air crew wings, and other awards. At the end of his second tour, Al was given an early out of the marines. In 1971, he married his first wife Fanny, and was father to his stepson Kenny and his daughter Alicia born in 1972. Al attended and graduated from Los Angeles Trade Technical College with an A.S. Degree in Aviation Technology. Al worked for several aviation companies including Hughes helicopters, Bell Helicopters international in Iran, (until all Americans were forced to leave in 1979) Douglas Aircraft, Evergreen airlines and others as a Licensed Aircraft Mechanic. Al divorced his first wife while working in Iran in 1978. Met his second wife, Gwen in 1980 they had two daughters Crystal and Amber, Al began divorce proceeding against Gwen in 2000. It was in 1989 when he first began suffering from what he would later learn was P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in Feb of 1989, he found himself on a nut ward at the Westwood V.A. Hospital, he was out-patiented to a Veterans center where a counselor Mrs. Karen Bergman suggested he write poems or short stories related to Vietnam to help relieve some of the stress he was suffering from. In Dec 1996, he returned to the V.A. “Nut ward” and remained in the hospital as a P.T.S.D. patient until Oct of 1997. Last of all, in 1998 he met the lady that would change his life to one worth living. Al married Sarah on Jan. 16, 2010. He thanks God for her, and truly believes her love and understanding of his condition P.T.S.D. is why he is still alive and writing this story instead of acting it out. The fictional person in Ski, named Beaulah, is based on my loving wife Sarah.